Now is an ideal time to review your financial affairs. You have to gather information to prepare your tax return at this time. Why not take one more step and do something positive for your financial well-being? The following suggestions
Read moreHave you noticed the increasing number of advertisements expounding the merits of reverse mortgages? Smiling celebrities advise seniors that their lives could improve immensely if they simply harvested the available equity in their homes. Take an expensive trip, remodel your
Read moreAre your beneficiary designations up to date? Do you even know which accounts have beneficiaries and who you've designated? It's easy to lose track. But it's important to keep them current. Here's why. When you designate a beneficiary for an
Read moreWhen planning gifts for children on your holiday list, you might want to think beyond the traditional retail offerings. Consider financial gifts that can bestow benefits for many years to come. Some financial gift options you might consider: U.S. savings
Read moreEmployee theft happens more frequently than you hear or read about. It's believed that only a small percentage of cases of employee dishonesty are reported and prosecuted. Too often, the employee is just dismissed and moves on to steal from
Read moreFor the past 76 years, investors had the option of buying U.S. savings bonds at a bank or credit union. After December 31, 2011, that will no longer be the case. Savings bonds can then only be purchased electronically through
Read more* Recordkeeping is vital if you want to be able to deduct a contribution to charity. What records do you need? For starters, to claim an itemized deduction, you're required to have support for all cash contributions, no matter what
Read moreAre you watching what you eat at work? Though that may not seem like a tax question, how you account for meals can affect your business tax return. One reason why: While you can generally only deduct half the cost
Read moreUnder the "Tax Relief Act of 2010," you may be able to write off the entire cost of business property placed in service this year, thanks to 100% "bonus depreciation." Prior to this law, a business was able to claim
Read moreLast year's tax law extended the "charitable IRA rollover" rule through the end of 2011. Taxpayers who are 70-1/2 or older may make tax-free distributions of up to $100,000 directly to a charity from their IRA. The rollover fulfills the
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